Logging block



March 15, 1949. P. E. KE-ZENEY LOGGING BLOCK Filed Sept. 18, 1945 INVENTOR. PAUL E ,KEENEY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Application September 18, 1945, Serial No. 616,985

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a logging block and more particularly to an improved block of the class shown in my Patent No. 2,269,768.

In handling such a block when it is opened to admit or take out the main line, dropping the block from the strap that holds it must be guarded against or injury to the operator is likely to result. With this one, the strap is securely locked in until the operator is ready to open the shackle away from the crosshead, as will b explained.

It is an object of this invention to construct a crosshead and cooperating shackle so that the crosshead follows the shackle, whichever side of the ropeway is opened and the strap will not drop the block unless the man handling the rigging takes the proper step.

It is a further object in connection with the above to so construct the crosshead that it serves as a distance piece between the two sides of the block with greater strength than the pins alone of the patented block.

A drawing accompanies and forms a part of this disclosure in which-- Fig. l is a side View of the upper portion of a block according to my invention;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, partly sectioned;

Fig. 3 is the structure of Fig. 2 opened up for the removal of a main line and any holding device such as a strap in the shackle; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the crosshead alone.

Further describing the structure of the figures:

Numeral I represents a block side of which two identical parts are used; 2 represents the ears of the sides and 3 represents align-ed pin holes for pins 4, suitable to hold the shackle 5. The shackle 5 has holes 55 movable into registry alignment with the holes 3 of the ears 2. The two sides I form a partial housing for the sheave B mounted on the shaft 1, not more fully described since it is conventional.

A crosshead 8 of skeletonized construction as shown in Fig. 4, is provided with slotted holes 9 in its opposite ends, the greatest distance apart being the same as the outside measurement of the holes 55 in the shackle and also the distance apart of the holes in the two pairs of ears 2 when the block is assembled over the sheave 6. It will be noted that the slotted holes 9 are angular to the longitudinal axis of the crosshead 8 but near enough to straight so that they would not hold a heavy crushing load tending to bend the ears 2 inwardly; and in logging, exceedingly heavy loads may be expected in any direction and a block is often run over by very heavy machinery. To compensate for this sacrifice of strength in the original block, I have substituted the abutment l0 which serves as a distance piece between the upper ends of the sides I and makes it even stronger than before.

Fig. 3 is intended to explain how the block is used. The crosshead has followed the shackle under cooperative influence of the lug 5i and the end wall 8| of the crosshead 8 until the offset 12 defined in limit by the cam surface I I has been reached by the end wall 8|; hence the crosshead 8 can utilize the slotted hole 9 for enough end- Wise movement to clear the lug 5| and the shackle can be opened as shown independently of the crosshead.

The crosshead cannot be expected to slide down of its own gravity but can easily be slid down by hand. As will now appear, the holder for the shackle, Whether it be a wire rope strap as they are called, or a metal link, cannot drop the block unless the operator makes the proper move to render the parts separable. The cam ll promptly forces the crosshead back to its operative position for use of the block, merely by pushing the shackle back to the point where the pin holes will take the pin.

Having disclosed my improved block so that the art can avail itself of the improved structure, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A crosshead and cooperating shackle for a logging block to be pin connected between upstanding ears on opposite sides of the block, comprising a generally channel shaped section crosshead member provided with pin holes adapted to register with similarly placed pinholes in block ears, a cooperating shackle adapted to enter the channel with its ends being provided with like spaced pinholes, the said shackle and crosshead having lugs integrally formed on each and in engagement so that when one pin is pulled from the assembly of block, crosshead and shackle and the shackle. is tipped up, the crosshead will normally follow, preventing opening of the shackle, and the said crosshead pinholes being elliptically shaped so that the crosshead may be manually moved to slip the said lugs out of engagement, to open the shackle after a predetermined joint movement.

2. A crosshead and cooperating shackle for a logging block, the crosshead being of generally channel section, the shackle having ends adapted to pass into the channel between the side mambers thereof, pinholes of equal spacing and (20- REFERENCES CITED operating projecting lugs on shackle and crosshead, said lugs being in engagement and so ig g g ggf ggf are of recold m the placed that when a pin is pulled and the shackle tipped, the crosshead will normally follow, char- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS acterized by the pinholes in the shackle being Number Name D t elliptical and the long axes of the holes at an 2269 768 Keeney Jan 1942 angle, whereby relative movement after unpinnlng one side and a predetermined joint movement will move the lugs out of operative position. 10

PAUL E. KEENEY. 

